We are so excited to announce our {Real Bride} blog series featuring interviews from real Lola Grace Brides.
Our first feature is gorgeous Lola Grace Bride Naomi and her handsome hubby Hunter. Naomi was a dream to work with and her groom and family were the sweetest! Keep reading for all the beautiful details, photos, adorable love story, and wedding planning TIPS for tying the knot!
Bride's Name: Naomi Groom's Name: Hunter Wedding Date: January 6, 2018 Wedding Ceremony: Riverbend Community Church
Reception: LPGA International Clubhouse Photographer: Emily Paige Photography Florist: Faux florals created by friends and family
Wedding Gown: Lola Grace Bridal
We love a love story. How did you meet your groom? My husband and I met when we were very young at our church. 5th grade is the last time we saw each other until about our senior year of high school when he came back to our church. Our church used to put on an annual Passion Play in the spring. In the spring of 2015, he and I spoke backstage a few times, and, as the months progressed, we kept talking briefly anytime we saw each other. Eventually, I got the guts to message him on Facebook in December of 2015, and we’ve talked every single day since then.
Can you tell us about the proposal?
We “officially” started dating on January 18, 2016, and got engaged on March 4, 2017. He fooled me into thinking we were getting up to go to the sunrise so his grandma could take pictures of us because she’d been wanting to for a very long time. It turned out that he had a whole set up on the beach. He had drawn a heart in the sand with candles all around it, with signs that read “Will You Marry Me?” He also had a chalkboard that said “I told you I loved you more.”Ever since we started saying “I love you” we’ve competed to see who could say it first each day. He had a really neat vase that had a rose in it along with the ring. My favorite princess is Belle and so this vase was a play on of the one from Beauty and the Beast. Our families were on the beach with my brother videoing everything and my dad taking pictures.
So how did you know he was the one? I had never been in a relationship before getting with him. I honestly wondered how I would know if he was the one I would want to marry but it didn’t take me long at all to come to that conclusion. He is the absolute sweetest, most generous man I’ve ever met. He exerts so much time and energy in doing things for those he loves. He spent his life, and still does, being by his mom and sister’s sides and doing what he could to protect and support them. He’s done no different for me. He is so passionate and compassionate. His life wasn’t easy growing up, so I could easily see and feel just how grateful he was for the people and things he has. He always wants to treat us as well as he can. Of course, he’s the most handsome man, but to me his inner beauty outshines any and everything else. It was not a hard decision for me to come to… he was, is, and always will be the one.
What surprised you most about the wedding planning process? We had 10 months from the day we got engaged to the day of our wedding. I knew from the start that was a long time, but I had no clue exactly how longggggg it would feel, haha. I was blessed to have been involved in both my sister and my brother’s wedding planning adventures, so I got a real good picture of what needed to be done. I’ve had a Pinterest wedding board for years, and after my siblings’ weddings, I made sure I took notes on what to do and what not to do. So my Pinterest board was very up to date on what I wanted and how I wanted things. It really wasn’t all that hard to get the picture of what everything would look like. It was just finding things to buy that would match that picture. Planning wasn’t that stressful until the last month or two. I knew it would be stressful, but the biggest surprise was how completely exhausted I’d be and how much I was just over planning. I just wanted to be married. I eventually got to the point where I told my mom “I trust you. Whatever else needs to be done, if you have an idea, go with it.” LOL
How did you know your dress was the one? Well… my first dress experience wasn’t the greatest. I went dress shopping the first time in June of 2017 and I found my dress, or so I thought. Five months went by since we ordered my dress… we were told it would only take four months but I gave it another month just to be sure. I eventually tried calling the dress shop I had ordered it from and the owner was nowhere to be found. I left message after message, email after email. Nothing. Absolutely no one could get a hold of her for the longest time. She did finally answer, but my dress was still gonna be a little while. I had recently read reviews from other brides who had similar experiences and who eventually got their dress but it was all wrong. So I struggled knowing what to do. Do I trust the lady and risk my dress being wrong size and color? Or do I try looking for another even though time was running short? I decided I couldn’t trust the lady. I needed to know I had a dress that fit and that I loved on my wedding day. That’s when my mom and I contacted Lola Grace Bridal. Ashley is without a doubt the lifesaver of my wedding adventure. She was there for me. She wanted the best for me and wanted me to be happy again, because if I’m honest, I was very discouraged. But Ashley helped change that. I found a dress that I loved WAY more than the first one. It was several sizes too big, but she let us by it off the rack and the seamstress I used got the dress down to my size within a week of me dropping it off. With the sweet friends and new acquaintances I had during my dress craze, I was able to find the dress of my dreams!
What advice would you give to newly engaged brides planning their wedding? Don’t try to do it alone. I could not have done anything on my own. I thought I knew what I wanted and thought it would easy to put it together, but I quickly found out I needed help. I needed encouragement, advice, assistance in making things, etc. Things don’t always go as planned. I especially learned that with the struggle we had getting a venue and also with my dress experience. Do your best to stay calm and just enjoy the moment. The most important thing in all of wedding planning is to remember that you’re getting married. If the venue isn’t exactly what you had in mind, if weather is bad, if flower girls don’t make it down the aisle… whatever it is…as long as you and your loved on say I do… that’s all we brides can ask for, because that’s what the wedding is all about. You will stress… you will cry… you will go insane as you plan... but you have your man by your side and you’re getting married… treasure the moment.
What was your favorite detail or moment during your wedding or reception? It’s hard to choose my favorite moment on our wedding day. Other than just the fact that we got married, I would say I have two moments to note. One being when I walked down the aisle with my dad and my now-husband saw me for the first time in my dress. We had chosen not to let him see me before the ceremony started. And I do not regret that moment. It was the sweetest moment to just see him staring at me and I at him. The second moment would be right after the ceremony we were in a room alone and we were able to just marvel at what had just happened. We were husband and wife. Rings were on our fingers, “I Do’s” were said. We grinned from ear to ear and giggled like little kids. We finally got to tell each other how handsome/beautiful we thought each other were. It was an amazing moment.
What did you plan for your big reception exit? We did a sparkler exit from our reception.
Did you plan a honeymoon? We went to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and stayed at the Sandals Ochi Resort for 6 nights. We had a fabulous time. Once we got there we didn’t have to pay for a thing (other than souvenirs). The resort was all-inclusive, and we loved it. My husband and I got to eat as much as we wanted and whenever we wanted. The resort was incredible, and the beach was gorgeous. The staff was so kind and helpful. We would love to visit again one day!
Anything else you would like us to know or share about your wedding? Just want to emphasize LPGA International Clubhouse (Alyssa is the best), Emily Paige Photography (the most amazing pictures and videos you can get), and Lola Grace Bridal (Ashley was a lifesaver, and such a sweet sweet person).
Is there anyone you would like us to thank on your behalf? Such as a friend, relative or vendor that saved the day or put in long hours making wedding favors or planning showers. Here is a list of people, though if I made a complete list, it would be a very long list: Mama, Daddy, my sisters Rachel, Sabrina and Jessy, my brothers Matthew and Allan, all of my grandparents (Mema, Papa, Grandmom, Paw-Paw), my mother-in-law Kara, my grandparent-in- laws (Grandma and Grandpa), all of my bridesmaids(Rachel, Sabrina, Jessy, Madi, Grace, and Abby), the groomsmen (Matthew, Allan,Colton, Keondre, Wade, and Chase), Shayna, Pam, Michelle, Alyssa (reception coordinator), Ashley (Lola Grace), Mrs. Shirley Wiggins (alterations), Alesha, Riverbend Community Church, all our extended family, our guests, and SOOOO many others. Our day was what it was because of all of these people.
Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Landorf! Thank you for being a part of our first {Real Bride} Blog! We wish you all the best marriage and life has to offer!
All our best,
Ashley & the Lola Grace Bridal Team
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